Thermocouple support



J. C. WOODSON I'H ERMOCOUPLE SUPPORT Filed Aug. 16, 1958 INVENTOR James C. l l oooson Patented Mar. 26, 1940 SUPPORT James C. Wcodson,

Lee Wilson Engineering Company,

a corporation of Ohio Ohio,

Cleveland, Ohio, assignor to Cleveland,

Application August 16, was, Serial No. 225.124

dclaims.

This invention relates to a supp r for a temperature responsive device such as lsemployed in various industries for checking temperatures and processes involving heating operations;

a In manyinstances, particularly metallurgical processes, it is necessary to subject material to elevated temperatures, and it is desirable to check such temperatures accurately. It has been the practice heretofore to mount thermo-responsive to means such as thermocouples in furnaces, and it is the general object of this invention to improve upon such practice and mountings as have been employed heretofore. A particular object of the invention is to provide a support for mounting a it?) theme-responsive means in actual contact with the material being processed. In a preferred form the invention comprises a tubular member adapted to be inserted through a furnace wall and having thereon a resilient support for a seal- 53p ing receptacle. A thermo-responsive element extends through the receptacle and the tube into contact with the material being treated.

The following detailed description refers to the accompanying drawing illustrating a present preferred embodiment. While the invention will be described and illustrated as applied to a fur-- nace of the portable or cover type, an example of which is found in Wilson Patent No. 1,952,402, it will be understood that the invention may also be egg instalied on other types of furnaces as well. In

the drawing j Figure l is a partial transverse section through a furnace of the cover type and the invention installed thereon:

Figure 2 is a partial sectional view showing a portion of Figure l to an enalrged scale.v

Referring now in detail to the drawing, a flirnace it comprises a base i i and a cover ii. The base is composed of refractory brick i3 laid up on a bottom sheet it carried on structural memhers it. The cover comprises refractory side walls 65 and walls i7, and the roof 18 built of suitable brick within a structural frame indicated generally at it for sheathing plates 2t.

A charge support it is disposed on the base it and is adapted to receive a charge such as a coil of strip indicated at 22. A protective cover 23 overlies the coiland its support, therolled edge of the cover 23 being seated in a sealingchannel m 25 extending peripherally of the support 2|.

Radial tubes 25 are in spaced relation along the side walls of the cover and are provided with burners 25 extending into the lower end thereof. Fuel supplied to the burners through pipes 21 is burned w in the tubes 25 with air induced into the lower contact with the coil 22 or (Cl. 13H) ends thereof. and the resulting combustion in the tubes heats them to radiant condition. The tubes 25 thus serve to heat the cover 23 and coil 22 by radiation and convectio A tube 28 extends upwardly through the base 5 ii and may conveniently consist of upper and lower sections threaded into a coupling sleeve 29. The sleeve is welded to the bottom plate M of the base as at w.

An annular plate at is welded to the lower section of the tube 28 intermediate its ends, Threaded guide bars 32 are spaced around the plate 3i and depend therefrom being secured thereto by nuts 33. Coil sprigs 88 are disposed on the rods 32. and rest on washers 35 supported by nuts 35 threaded on the" lower ends of the rods.

A sealing receptacle 31 surrounds the lower end of the tube 28, having an annular collar or flange 38 secured thereto and extending radially therefrom, resting on the springs 34'. The coiler 38 is punched or slotted to receive the rods 32. The bottom of the receptacle 3? is formed by a plug 39 threaded thereinto. The plug 39 carries a packing gland at. A. thermo-responsive member at, which may conveniently be a tube enclosing the hot junction of a thermocouple, extends through the gland l6, upwardly through the receptacle 3'5, and into and through the tube 28. The charge support 2i is provided with holes to admit the upper end of the member (it to direct other charge on the support 29. 'Ihe nuts 36 are preferably adjusted initially so that the upper end of the member Q! extends slightly above the support 26 when the charge 221s removed. When the charge is placed on its support, the member il is forced downwardly and carries the receptacle 37 with it, thereby impressing the springs 36 slightly. The thermo-responsive member 3! is thus yieldably supported in engagement with the material being processed.

The receptacle 3? is filled with sealing liquid such as oil indicated at 432, to a level below the The sealing liquid 42 lower end of the tube 28. prevents the loss of gas usually supplied to the interior of the cover 23 to provide a non-oxidizing atmosphere for the charge during heating, and it also prevents the in-fiow of air through the tube 28.

The advantages of the invention described above will be recognized immediately. In the first place, the thermo-responsive member is maintained in direct contact with the material being heated at all times without any necessity for manipulation or adjustment by an operator.

At the same time the opening through which the ings may be obtained when the thermo-responsive member is in accordance with the invention than when supported in other positions apart from the material being treated, as has been the practice heretofore. The invention thus contributes to the production of material of superior quality in cases where accurate control of temperature is important.

A further advantage is the ease with which the thermo-responsive member may be removed and replaced. For this purpose it is only necessary to unscrew the lower section of the tube 28 from the couple 29. The thermo-responsive member, the yielding support, and the sealing cup associated. therewith may then be removed as a unit by withdrawing the member from the upper portion of the tube 28. Similarly, the

'thermo-responsive member may easily be removed from the sealing cup by releasing the packing gland 40. In addition to the foregoing advantages, the various parts making up the assemblyfor resiliently supporting the thermoresponsive member are simple and inexpensive to manufacture and require practically no maintenance in use.

While the invention has been illustrated as applied to a furnace of the cover type and particularly to the base thereof, it will be understood that it may also be installed in the side walls or roof of a furnace of any type. Other changes in the construction and. arrangement disclosed appended claims.

I claim: 1. In a furnace, a. tube extending thereinto from the exterior thereof, a liquid-filled receptacle outside the furnace into which said tube depends,

thermo-responsive means mounted on said receptacle and extending throughsaid receptacle and said tube and into the interior of said furnace, and means yieldably supporting said receptacle on said tube.

2. In a furnace, a tube extending thereinto from the exterior thereof, a liquid-filled sealing receptacle outside the furnace enclosing the exterior end of said tube, thermo-responsive means mounted on said receptacle and extending through said receptacle and tube, and means yieldably supporting receptacle on said tube.

3. In a furnace, a tube extending thereinto from the exterior thereof. a liquid-filled sealing receptacle outside the furnace enclosing the exterior end of the tube, a spring suspension on said tube for supporting said receptacle, and thermo-responsive means mounted on said receptacle and extending into the furnace through said receptacle and tube.

.4. In a furnace, a tube extending thereinto from the exterior thereof, a liquid-filled sealing cup outside the furnace, said cup being movably carried on said tube and enclosing the exterior end thereof, and thermo-responsive means extending axially through said cup and tube and supported on said cup.

JAMES C. WOODSON. 

